Electric clock setting and starting mechanism



Jan. 1, 1935. G BROWNING 1,986,498

ELECTRIC CLOCK SETTING AND STARTING MECHANISM Filed June 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 1, 1935. G, BROWNING 1,986,498

ELECTRIC CLOCK SETTING AND STARTING MECHANISM Filed June 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC CLOCK SETTING m STARTING MECHANISM George Browning, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chi= cago Flexible Shaft Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application June 26,1931, Serial No. 546,932

16 Claims.

This invention relates to electric clocks and has special reference to starting and setting mechanism for clocks driven by non-self-starting synchronous motors of a type commonly employed for this purpose.

Clocks of this type possess many advantages among which is the fact that when the source of power is shut off the clock comes to a stop thereby positively indicating to the user that there has been an interruption in the normal operation of the clock. In other words, the fact that the clock is running is proof in itself that the clock is showing correct time. However, they possess the disadvantage that additional manually operated mechanism must be provided for starting the motor after each of such interruptions. Heretofore this mechanism has taken the form of a knob oreratively connected to the rotor of the motor so that rotation of the knob will spin the rotor. Separate and independent means have heretofore been provided for setting the hands of the clock to the correct indicating position.

I have aimed to provide combined means for setting the hands of the clock and starting the motor.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of a hand setting mechanism having means for spinning the rotor whenever the mechanism is broughtinto and out of its engaged position with the clock movement.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of combined clock setting and starting mechanism wherein either mechanism may be employed without disturbing the operation of the other.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the back of a clock movement incorporating my invention showing the mechanism in the disengaged position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the mechanism in the engaged position,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a wall clock partly in section embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a clock movement embodying a modified form of my invention, the rear plate thereof being removed to show the mechanism in the disengaged position, and in. dotted lines, in a time setting position;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4 showing the mechanism in the clock starting position;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the manner in which the mechanism is supported on the clock movement; and

Fig. 7 is a side view.

In a general way, the invention contemplates the provision of a knob positioned exteriorly of. the clock easing having devices adapted to be moved into one position to engage the clock mechanism for the purpose of setting the hands in proper position with respect to the dial, and means cooperating with said mechanism for spinning the rotor of the clock.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the numeral designates an electric clock adapted to be positioned in a conventional casing 6 and having an alternating current electric motor of the non-self-starting synchronous type common- 1y employed for this purpose. Since the details of construction of the clock form no part of the present invention it will be sufiicient in the present application to refer specifically only to those portions directly cooperating with the structure of the present invention. The clock is provided with a rear plate 7 and a face plate 8 having positioned therebetween a substantially U- shaped laminated core 9 provided with the usual stationary magnetic pole pieces 11. A coil 12 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy by means of leads 13 and l t 1 is wound about the center of the core. A rotor 15 having magnetic pole pieces 16 distributed about the periphery thereof is positioned be tween the ends of the U-shaped core to cooperate therewith in forming a synchronous motor of a well known type. The rotor 15 is fixedly secured to a shaft 17 supported in bearings, 18 on the plates 7 and 8 for rotation. A spur gear 19 is fixedly secured to the shaft 17 and serves to drive the clock mechanism through a gear 21 fixedly secured to a shaft 22. x

The numeral 23 designates a setting shaft supported in the plates 7 and 8 and cooperable with the clock mechanism through a spur gear 24 and a gear 25 for the purpose of setting the position of the clock hands, not shown. A beveled gear 26 is fixedly secured to the shaft 23 in spaced relation to the plate 7 arranged to be turned, as will presently be described, for the purpose of setting the clock. A plate 27 having upwardly turned edges at 28 and 29 is fixedly secured to the rear plate 7 of the clock movement by means of bolts or rivets 31. A rod or stem 32 is slidably positioned in openings in the edges 28 and 29 and is provided on its inner end with a beveledspur gear 33 fixedly secured thereto and engageable with the gear 26 when the rod 32 occupies its engaged position, as shown in Fig. 2. A knob 34 is fixedly positioned on the outer end of the rod 32 and provides means for the operator to slide the rod inward to its engaged position to engage the gears 33 and 26. A compression spring 35 is wound about the rod 32 and acts between the edge 29 and a collar 36 fixedly positioned upon the rod 32, the spring serving to return the rod 32 to its disengaged position, as shown in Fig. 1, when the knob 34 is released. Thus, the rod 32 and knob 34 normally occupy the disengaged position shown in Figure 1 with the gear 33 held in contact with the edge 28 by the action of the spring 35. To set the clock the operator will grasp the knob 34 and move the rod 32 inward until the gear 33 engages the gear 26 whereupon rotation of the knob 34 will cause the hands of the clock to be moved around the dial.

An upstanding pin 37 is positioned in the plate 27 adjacent the rod 32 and has supported thereon a bell crank lever 38. One end 39 of the bell crank lever is slotted to provide a fork which is arranged, through proper positioning of the rod 32 and the pin 37, to receive a portion 41 of the rod 32 of smaller diameter than the remainder of the rod. The portion 41 is provided on opposite ends with shoulders 42 and 43 to permit only limited movement of the arm 39 longitudinally with respect to the rod 32. The arm 44 of the lever 38 is provided with a beveled end 45 arranged to engage the teeth of a gear 46 when the lever 38 is rotated about the pin 37, and by such engagement to bring about rotation of the shaft 22.

When the rod 32 is moved from the disengaged position shown in Figure 1 to theengaged position shown in Fig. 2 the beveled end 45 of the bell crank lever 38 will be moved into the space between two of the teeth on the gear 46 and rotate the gear 46 in a counterclockwise direction until the gear 33 has engaged the gear 26.

The relation of the parts should be such that the beveled end 45 remains in engagement with the gear 46 when the gear 33 has reached complete engagement with the gear 26. At this point, the operator may rotate the knob 34, if desired, to set the clock and then release the knob 34 whereupon the rod 32 will be returned to the disengaged position shown in Figure 1. Simultaneously with the return of the rod 32 to the disengaged position, the bell crank lever 38 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction and the gear 46 and shaft 22 will be rotated in a clockwise direction since the end 45 of the lever is in engagement with the gear 46 and is returned to the position shown in Figure 1 by the return movement of the rod 32. The rotation thus imparted to the shaft 22 is transmitted to the rotor 15 and is sufficient to bring the speed of the rotor into approximately its normal operating speed after which rotation of the rotor will be maintained in the usual manner. If the operator merely desires to start the clock this may be accomplished by merely moving the rod 32 inward and releasing it without imparting rotation of any kind to the knob 34 and upon such release the desired rotary motion will be transmitted to the rotor. Thus, the clock may be started without, in any way, interfering with the setting of the hands.

The invention is particularly well adapted for use with clock movements to be placed in wall clocks, such for example as that designated by the figure 6 or in other clocks wherein access to the rear thereof is difficult. In this particular instance I have shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the rod 32 is positioned in parallel relation with the plate 7 so that the knob 34 may rest at the side or bottom of the clock casing, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that when my invention is employed no openings whatever need be provided in the back 47 of the clock casing and only a single opening 48 at the bottom of the casing. Furthermore, the mechanism may be so installed that only the knob 34 and a small portion of the rod 32 need project beyond the wall of the clock casing.

In Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, I have shown a modified form of the invention wherein the rod 32 is moved to one position for setting the clock and into another positionior starting the clock. By this means the clock may be set without disturbing or stopping the rotation of the rotor. In this embodiment I have shown, a clock movement having a third plate 49 spaced from the plate 7, the laminated core 9 and the rotor 15 being positioned between the plates 7 and 49. In this instance a bracket 51 is supported between the plates 7 and 49 and is provided with an opening 52 to slidably receive the hub 53 of the gear 33. This permits the rod 32 and the gear 33 to normally occupy the position shown in Fig. 4, but allows these parts to be moved into the time setting position shown in dotted lines in this figure through longitudinal movement thereof. A lever 54 is rotatably supported upon a pin 55 in the plates 7 and 49 and projects laterally outward, the opposite end thereof being provided with a beveled portion 56 analogous to the beveled end 45 and a spring supporting end 57. A coiled spring 58 is secured to the end 57 and to a bolt 59 which also serves to hold the laminations of the core together. The spring 58 acts to normally maintain the lever 54 against a stop 61 on the bracket 51 to maintain the lever 54 and the gear 33 in the inoperative position, the lower end of the sleeve 53 normally resting against the top of the lever 54 as shown in solid lines in Fig. 4. When the knob 34 and rod 32 are drawn outward to the position shown in Fig. 5, the hub 53 rotates the lever 54 about the pin 55 causing the portion 56 to engage the gear 46, the lever 54 being rotated into contact with a pin 62, which serves as a stop to limit the downward movement of the lever 54. This movement increases the tension on the spring 58 and brings the lever 54 into a position such that upon release of the'knob 34 the spring 58 will return the lever to the position shown in Fig. 4, simultaneously imparting counterclockwise movement to the gear 46. Thus, the rod 32 normally occupies the inoperative full line position shown in Fig. 4, and is movable either to the time setting position shown in dotted lines in this figure, orto the clock starting position shown in Fig. 5. When the rod is moved to the time setting position the lever 54 is in no wise disturbed, and when the rod is moved to the clock starting position shown in Fig. 5 the time setting mechanism is not disturbed. It will be observed that in each instance the spring 58 is brought to the same tension when the rod 32 is moved to the clock starting position so that the gear 46 will always be launched at substantially the same speed.

It will also be seen that whenever the knob 34 is released to permit movement of. the rod 32 from the engaged to the disengaged'position the rotor 15 is rotated with substantially the same speed. The relationship of the'parts may be such that this speed is substantially the synchronous speed of the rotator. Therefore, as a result of my construction the rotator is always launched at its synchronous speed or at a speed very nearly the same as its synchronous speed.

Another advantage of my invention is the fact that only a single knob is required both for starting and for setting the clock. particular advantage in clocks where access to the rear thereof is diflicult. For instance, with wall clocks it is usually necessary to remove the clock from the wall in order to gain access to the rear for'the purpose of starting the clock and even then the clock may stop before it can be replaced because of the variation in its position while being replaced against the wall. With my invention it is not necessary, in any way, to disturb the position of the clock. The operator need only push the knob 34 inward to start the clock or push it inward and rotate it to simultaneously set the clock and start it.

While I have thus described and illustrated a specific embodiment of my invention I am aware that numerous alterations and changes may be made therein without materially departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, in which I claim:

1. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combined setting and starting mechanism comprising a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging the driving mechanism for said clock and for rotating the same to set the hands thereof when said rod is in the engaged position, a wheel operatively connected to said rotor, and means connected to said rod for engaging and rotating said wheel when said rod is moved from one of said positions to said other position. a

2. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combined setting and starting mechanism comprising a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging the driving mechanism for said clock and for rotating the same to set the hands thereof when said rod is in the engaged position, a wheel operatively connected to said rotor, means connected to said rod for engaging and rotating said wheel when said rod is mved from the engaged to the disengaged position, and spring means for moving said rod from said engaged to said disengaged position.

3. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combination setting and starting mechanism comprising, a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging said driving mechanism and for rotating the same to set the hands of said clock when said rod is in the engaged position, a pivotally supported lever connected to said rod for rotation by the longitudinal movement thereof to bring said lever into momentary driving connection with said rotor to impart rotation thereto when said rod is moved from the engaged to the disengaged position.

4. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combination setting This is of.

and starting mechanism comprising, a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging said driving mechanism and for rotating the same to set the hands of said clock when said rod is in the engaged position, a pivotally supported lever having one end engaging said rod to rotate said lever upon longitudinal movement thereof, a wheel operatively connected to said rotor positioned to be engaged by the opposite end of said lever during the rotation thereof to impart free rotation to said wheel and said rotor when said rod is moved from the engaged to the disengaged position, means for manually moving said rod into the. engaged position and for imparting rotation thereto to set said clock, and spring means for returning said rod to the disengaged position.

5. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combination setting and starting mechanism comprising, a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging said driving mechanism and for rotating the same to set the hands of said clock when said rod is in the engaged position, a bell crank lever pivotally supported adjacent to said rod having an end provided with a fork engaging said rod and a beveled end moving through an arc upon longitudinal movement of said rod, a gear operatively connected to said rotor positioned to be engaged by the beveled end of said lever when said rod is moved to the engaged position and to be rotated and released by' said lever when said rod is moved to the disengaged position to impart free rotation to said rotor, means on said rod for applying manual force thereto to move said rod to the engaged position and to set said clock and spring means for moving said rod to the disen gaged position and rotate said rotor.

6. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combined setting and starting mechanism comprising, a gear operatively associated with said driving mechanism arranged through rotation to set the hands of said clock, a gear movable between an operative position engaging said first mentioned gear and an inoperative position disengaged therefrom, means for moving said gear from one of said positions to said other position and for rotating the same to set said clock, and means connected to said first mentioned means for imparting free rotation to said rotor when said gear is moved from one of said positions to said other position.

7. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, combined setting and starting mechanism comprising, a gear operatively associated with said driving mechanism arranged through rotation to set the hands of said clock, a rod supported for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, a gear fixed to said rod to move into and out of engagement with said first mentioned gear with longitudinal movement of said rod, a pivotally supported lever having one end engaging said rod to rotate said lever upon longitudinal movement thereof, a wheel operatively connected to said rotor positioned to be engaged by the opposite end of said lever during the rotation thereof to impart free rotation to said wheel and said rotor when said rod is moved from the engaged to the disengaged position.

8. In an electric clock having a clock casing and a clock movement provided with a driving mechanism including a motor, combined setting and starting mechanism comprising, a rod within said casing having an end projecting therefrom, means on said clock movement for supporting said rod for longitudinal movement between an engaged and a disengaged position and for rotation, a gear on said movement operatively connected with said driving mechanism arranged through rotation to set the hands of said clock, a gear fixed to said rod within said casing and movable therewith into and out of engagement with said last mentioned gear, a pivotally supported lever within said casing having one end engaging said rod to rotate said lever upon longitudinal movement thereof, a wheel on said movement operatively connected to said'rotor positioned to be engaged by the opposite end of said lever during the rotation thereof to impart free rotation to said rotor when said rod is moved from the engaged to the disengaged position, a knob fixed to said rod outside of said case for manually moving said rod into the engaged position and for rotating said rod to set said clock, and spring means inside said casing for returning said rod to the disengaged position.

9. In an electric clock comprising a gear train, a motor for driving the clock having a rotor, means for setting the gear train, and means for starting the rotor, a rod movable endwise to actuate said starting means and rotatable to actuate said setting means.

10. In an electric clock comprising a clock casing, a gear train, a motor for driving the clock, means for setting the gear train, and means for starting the motor, a rod extending through said casing and manually operable from a point outside the casing for endwise movement to actuate said starting means and rotatable movement to actuate said setting means.

11. In an electric clock comprising a motor driven movement having a rotor, means for setting the movement and means for starting the rotor, a single part movable between an operative and an inoperative position and carrying means for engaging each of said means to accomplish the setting and the starting of the clock.

12. In an electric clock comprising a motor driven movement having a rotor, gear means for setting the movement, and lever means for imparting a starting impulse to the rotor, a stem, means on the stem for engaging said gear means, means on the stem for engaging said lever means, and means for supporting the stem for longitudinal and rotative movement for actuation of said gear and said lever means.

13. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, clock setting means and starting means, a manually operable member supported to be pushed into an operative position engaging said setting means in which it may be turned to set said clock and to be withdrawn to a second operative position and released to start rotation of said rotor.

14. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, clock setting means and starting means, a knob adapted to occupy an inoperative position, a time setting position engaging the setting means and a clock starting position, said knob being supported to be moved longitudinally into said time setting position and rotated for setting said clock and to be moved longitudinally into the other of said operative positions and released to cause rotation to be imparted to said rotor and start said clock.

15. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, a wheel operatively connected to said rotor, and means for imparting a rotative impulse to said wheel to start the clock, a rod supported for longitudinal movement between opposed engaged positions and an intermediate disengaged position and for rotation, means on said rod for engaging the driving mechanism of said clock and for rotating the same to set the hands thereof when said rod is in one of said engaged positions, and means on said rod for engaging said first mentioned wheel when said rod is moved to the other of said engaged positions to start the clock.

16. In an electric clock having a driving mechanism provided with a rotor, a member supported for longitudinal and rotative movement, and a gear on said member arranged to engage the driving mechanism to set said clock upon rotation of said member, clock starting mechanism comprising a lever supported to engage the driving mechanism of said clock upon its rotation to start said clock, means carried by said member for rotating said lever into engagement with said driving mechanism, and spring means for returning said lever to an inoperative position to impart rotation to said rotor.

GEORGE BROWNING. 

